THE JOURNEY SO FAR


Meeting up with Josh Wilson

Anna's busy working today... morning meeting for church, coffee with a friend, then writing (on a screenplay no less) for the afternoon until she heads for school, then a leadership team meeting this evening.

We're not bored though. We've got their car and have been catching up on email, trying to renew our driver's licenses, and meeting up with Josh Wilson for lunch. Josh is also a film school student, as well as a talented musician and sound technician.

In fact, he's got a film short he's made on a local Christian artist in the running for national showing on television. If you want to support his chances, you can go to the website and vote for his video. It's a fascinating video anyway. Click here if you want to see it.

Durand

Making the most of the time

OK, so we're busy. But with only a few weeks left before returning to Europe (that's right...weeks!) we're trying to make the most of the time.

New Orleans:
Backing up to almost two weeks ago, we reconnected with our two partnering churches in the New Orleans area. It was encouraging and heart-breaking at the same time, seeing the devastation still left from Katrina, but realizing that the churches there are really taking on the challenge of bringing hope to the area, both physically and spiritually. If you feel compelled to help these churches in any way, please go to their websites and learn how.

Fellowship Bible Church, Metairie, LA
Faith Bible Church, Slidell, LA

(PS. We also got a chance to revisit the French Quarter, and have a coffee and beignet before heading out of the area!)


Pensacola:
On our way back to Birmingham, we spent half a day with Gary and Beth Hodges, future coworkers with us in Ireland who are still raising support to head to Europe. They are gifted musicians, but more than that; they are skilled worship leaders and trainers for others desiring to help the church experience intimacy with God in worship. Read a little bit about them on their blog by clicking here.


Atlanta:
While Ruth stayed in Birmingham to finish her article for the coming Hope for Europe publication, I went to spend 2+ days in my good friend Jimmy Dominy's basement, affectionately known as Juke Joint Jimmy's to begin recording a 10-song CD to be released later this year. Talk about fun. The big problem was balancing the non-stop guitar playing and singing with trying not to fall asleep from all the food Jimmy's wife Kricky kept feeding me!

What a joy to finally start this project that has been on my heart for over 7 years. Of course most of the music still needed to be written 7 years ago... so maybe the timing was perfect. Thanks so much Jimmy. I'm encouraged like I've not been in years. Also thanks in advance to the Fellowship Bible Church worship gang in Roswell. I'm sure Jimmy will be dragging most of you down to the basement sooner than later to add to the music.



Denver:
Monday (yesterday), Ruth and I used our frequent flyer miles to come see Anna and Matthew. It's good to say hello and will be hard to say goodbye. God's grace is what makes both possible.

We're planning on celebrating her graduation a bit early on Thursday, since she's only got 4 credits to do this summer to finish officially. She's an amazing young lady and we're as proud of her as ever.

Durand

Emilie is TWENTY!

In case you don't know us very well, we've got three daughters. Emilie is going to art school way up in the frozen north but it never seems to change the warmth she brings to everyone around her!

My "no more a teenager" daughter is 20 years old today and will be the proud recipient of the Birthday Bunny Badge. If you know her, send her a little greeting today!

Love you, dear daughter!

Dad

A cross between Rumplestiltskin and Frankenstein


Question: What do you get when you cross Rumplestiltskin and Frankenstein?
Answer: I don't know but it had to look alot like me at the Brookwood Sleep Clinic where I tested positive for sleep apnea. Wired to monitor everything from body movement, eye movement and even brain waves all with the special touch of a breathing mask attached to a machine.

Evidently it's not normal to stop breathing dozens of times per hour while sleeping. They said it is likely to be part of the reason I have high blood pressure, memory loss , loud snoring and ... (what was I saying... oh yea) and fatigue.

The next step will be to see my doctor for getting my very own mask... woohoo!

Paddy's Day Cajun Style

I wasn't fully aware of what my brother in law Ben Showalter had in mind when we set out for a Saturday morning excursion this weekend. We were scheduled to speak in our churches around New Orleans on Sunday, but had some time to enjoy our family that lives in Hammond, Louisiana.

Ben said we were headed to the Amite Oyster Festival. Turns out it was in a town near where my mom grew up. But without phone numbers and directions, I had no way of contacting kin folk. We simply went along for the adventure with Ben and Joanne to the festival. What a cross-cultural experience. I've included a little slide show for you to get a feel for it.

Durand

Recording a new album!

I'll be headed to Atlanta next week to start a new album of my songs. If you want a living room preview of some of the songs, I've put a bunch of them up on my Songwriter Sessions blog.

I'll only get 8-10 on the CD so let me know which ones you enjoy the best. By the way, it's a CD to be used in non-church settings. So most of my worship stuff won't be on this one.

Durand

March-April 2007 Update

(If you want a postcard version sent to your snailmail address, click here to MAIL ME your request.)

Sunday: Praise for the many encouraging visits we've had with our partnering churches, as well as with two churches that are not yet partners. It was great to have Ruth along this time so folks could reconnect with her as well. Pray specifically about the two churches we visited as they consider supporting our ministry financially.

Monday: Praise for finding a great group of musicians from North Carolina to answer the invitation by our Polish pastor Krzysztof Zareba. We'll be sharing the gospel during the month of June in the commuter cities of Warsaw through benefit concerts for "Joni and Friends". Pray for open hearts toward both the disabled and toward the Lord.

Tuesday: Praise for willingness on the part of one of our partners to use his studio and skills to help me begin a recording of my music (Durand). Pray it will serve as my "business card" to get to play in secular venues as well as for something folks can take home from concerts to remember what they heard and experienced.

Wednesday: Praise for all those who support us personally through their prayers, service and finances. We're blessed. Some of our newer partners are also looking for ways to serve with CreativeWorks part-time from here in the US. Pray we'll be creative in using the resources God's blessed our partners with.

Thursday: Praise for healing! If you haven't heard, the Great Physician decided to reroute one of my smaller shoulder veins and enlarged it so much that it is now replacing the main artery I lost four years ago. My doctor says it's a miracle. We agree. Pray for progress in treating Ruth's fibromyalgia.

Friday: Praise for our safety thus far in travel. We've still got trips scheduled to three more churches and to see each of our three girls before we're scheduled to leave (April 13 for Ruth and April 18 for me.) Pray for us as we return to Europe as "empty-nesters" for the first time.

Saturday: Praise for new support that has come in over the year. We came to the U.S. under-supported financially for GEM's Germany required funding, lost some support from a couple of churches, and on top of all that, are now moving to Ireland which is going to cost us about $600 more monthly. We're happy to say that enough new funding has come in to reach the Germany required funding, but PRAY for the last $600 to be committed so we can make the move to Ireland this summer.

Serving the Lord with you,

Durand

Send contributions for the Robinsons to:
Greater Europe Mission,
18950 Base Camp Rd.
Monument, CO 80132
(Please write “Durand Robinson” in the memo of the check.)

Not just another day at the (doctor's) office

(I've worn this medical bracelet for 4 years now. Read on and you'll find out why I'm not wearing it today.)

I had a chance to see the surgeon in Atlanta who rescued my arm 4 years ago. A damaged artery began filling all the vessels in my right arm and hand with clots. The doctor tried to encourage me in the emergency room that day by saying he'd "try" to save my arm. I learned that wasn't the same expectation he'd shared with those who'd brought me to the hospital. People started praying for me and many have never stopped.

That was 4 years ago. Since then I've relearned how to use my hand and arm and live a fairly normal life (at least as far as hands and arms go). I've been on a blood thinner every day since then, and have to modify my use of the arm so it doesn't fall asleep. The main artery that runs through the center of my shoulder never recovered and my secondary vessels have had to learn to work harder to keep the blood flowing.

Back to the visit this week. The sonographer created images of my current vascular situation. "Whoa... will you look at that. This is amazing." The surgeon came in. First he shook my hand. "Warm hand... great!" Then he said, "I've got one question. Are you still able to play the guitar?" He smiled at the answer.

Then he looked at the sonogram. He was looking at what was supposed to be a small little vein that runs down along the front of my shoulder. "It's a miracle. That vessel is now as big as your original God-given artery. I'm taking you off the blood thinner. Feel free to use that arm as much as you can. It looks like God must want you to keep playing that guitar of yours, because this is a miracle."

I will.

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Partnering in ministry taken to the next level

Imagine having someone who lives far from where you minister who is so committed to you and your ministry that he or she actually is able to be as articulate and passionate about your ministry as you are. We have someone like that in Atlanta... Steve and Lenore Vereb.

These aren't people who drew the short straw and got us as their missionaries. These are people who've come to serve with us in Europe, who nursed me through my illness while in Atlanta, and who keep in continuous contact with me (not the other way around.)

As our official representatives at their home church, they guided us to individuals whose hearts are to leverage creativity in local church ministry like ours during last week's mission conference. A half dozen couples have pledged to be part of our "home team". What an honor. And without their help we wouldn't have known where to begin.

Steve's retired from civil service, but not from the Lord's. He's on the missions committee. He travels around the world helping their church become strategic in their international involvement. He publishes the church's missions newsletter.

Even his hobby serves the cause of missions. His company called StoneFlower Artworks design incredible centerpieces (see photo) uniquely carved from natural stone that create an organic yet graceful touch to any table or desk. And a portion of every sale goes to support the missions efforts of his church, Fellowship Bible Church.

CreativeWorks. Even our partners live up to the vision.

Durand




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